Storage rack restraining assemblies

ABSTRACT

Restraining bar and load bar structures for use in storage and/or shipping racks for sheet metal or similar articles, such as automobile fenders, hoods, doors or other parts, where the parts must be immobile for the extent of shipping. A shipping rack includes a top and bottom frame joined by vertical corner members, and horizontal end bars which extend between the corner members at suitable heights. An elongated aluminum bar has a spring-loaded releasable latch at each end cooperating with notches in the end bars to retain the elongated bars in position abutting the edges of the stored items to prevent movement. Also, an elongated three part load bar is provided in the top and bottom frames to adjustably position and hold the stored articles at the top and bottom edges thereof. All of the bars include slots to receive various dunnage materials used to hold the wares in place.

United States Patent 11 1 Jelinek STORAGE RACK RES TRAINING v 1451 July 10, 1973 [54] 3,579,710 5/1971 Gartzke 211/184 X ASSEMBLIES 3,604,363 9/1971 Smith 248/119 R X [75] Inventor: Robert M. Jelinek, Western Springs, Primary Examiner Ramon Brms Attorney-Clarence J. Fleming [731 Assignee: The Ceco Corporation, Chicago, Ill. [57] ABSTRACT [22] Ffled: June 1971 Restraining bar and load bar structures for use in stor- [21] Appl. No.: 150,953 age and/or shipping racks for sheet metal or similar articles, such as automobile fenders, hoods, doors or I other parts, where the parts must be immobile for the 52 11.5. C1. 211/175, 211/49 R, 248/119 R extent of Shipping A shipping rack includes a top and [51] Int. Cl A47f 5/10, A47f 7/00 bottom frame j01l1d by vertical corner members, and [58] Field of Search 211/175, 176, 184,

211/51 13 49 8 162 94 248/119 R horizontal end bars which extend between the corner 298 21 206,7 I members at suitable heights. An elongated aluminum 5 f 287/54 bar has a spring-loaded releasable latch at each end so operating with notches in the end bars to retain the 1 elongated bars in position abutting the edges of the [56] Refemnc, cued stored items to prevent movement. Also, an elongated UNITED STATES PATENTS three part load bar is provided in the top and bottom 1,014,889 1/1912 McDonald 211/175 frames to adjustably position and hold the stored arti- 21 X cles at the top and bgttom edges thereofi of the bars gigs" include slots to receive various dunnage materials used 3:362:738 I 1/1968 n ifi ijI:....:I.:I.: 9 11/176 x mm the wares place 3,396,851 8/1968 Buckner et a1 a. 21 1/49 R X 12 Claims, 27 Drawing Figures J? 3 1 I In JO L 0 Ill z/ I 1 i j ji 1111/11 9 o I H 2 a 1 -13 J6 7L1 Z llllu HHI 0 iii? 1 -15 1 a 1 14 /3 Z 1w 1 3 J7 J64 m Km P J J? i U 15' 110 j! PAIENIEU 0W5 summers Q HM Win.

saws-m PATENIED JUL 1 0 I975 WWII which may be of sheet metal or other materials, and

various means have been used to restrain the load within the rack, such as plywood, steel bars, built up wooden sections or various types of rubber or plastic mounted onto steel or wooden bars. The present invention relates to a new and improved system of restraining andload bars which are simple to use and economical and can be reused and adjusted to compensate for design changes in materials being shipped.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a lightweight elongated restraining bar utilized in a storage rack along a side thereof to restrain a plurality of articles positioned on the rack. The restraining bar has a releasable spring-loaded latch at each end thereof cooperating with horizontal end bars in the rack to retain the bars in operative position. Also, this bar has a generally T-shaped slot or channel formed on the inner surface and extending longitudinally to receive suitable dunnage material to hold and cushion the wares in place.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a lightweight elongated restraining bar cooperating with an end bar in a storage rack through a latch at each end of the restraining bar. The end bar has a generally C-shape with the open side of the bar facing the interior of the rack. Theflanges defining the longitudinal slot in the C-shaped barare notched at spaced intervals along their length to receive the latch means in the end of the restraining bar.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a restraining bar having a spring-biased swinging latch member at each end thereof. The latch includes a forward flange with a downturned laterally extending lower edge and an upper lateral edge, a pivot hub rearwardly of the flange and an upwardly extending handle adapted to be manually grasped and rotated to release the latch. Suitable spring means biases the latch to its latched position.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a restraining bar having a two-part latch cooperating with a horizontal end bar. This latch includes a lower stationary latch member terminating in a T- shaped outer end received in a lower notch in the end bar, and an upper reciprocable latch member adapted to be'projected into an aligned upper notch in the end bar. The upper edge of the restraining bar is cut away to expose a vertical handle portion integral with the upper latch member.

cured and angularly adjustable relative to the intermediate bar. In view of both the height and angular adjustment, the bar assembly can be reused with any adjsut ments being made based on the-design changes of the article being stored or shipped. I

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as willlater more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a storage and/or shipping rack having the restraining bars and the adjustable load bars of the present invention utilized thereon.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial side elevational view of one embodiment of restraining bar with the end bar in cross section taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the latch swung to unlatched position.

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial top plan view of the bar and latch of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the latch and spring of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevational view of the restraining bar with an alternate form of swing latch.

' FIG. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a partial top plan view of the bar and latch of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the latch and spring of FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 is a partial side elevational viewof another alternate embodiment of swinging latch applied to. the restraining bar. y

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross sectional view taken-on the linel2-12 of FIG. 11

FIG. 13 is a partial top plan view of the bar and latch 1 of FIG. 11.

FIG.,14 is a perspective view of the latch and springs of FIG. 11.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged partial top plan view of the swinging latch of FIG. 11.

FIG. 16 is a partial side elevational view of a restrain: ing bar and reciprocable latch.

FIG. 17 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 17-17 of FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 18-18 of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 19-19 of FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 20-20 of FIG. 16. 1

FIG. 21 is an end elevational view of an adjustable load bar assembly utilized in the rack of FIG.'1.

FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 21 but showing a sec ond vertical height adjustment.

FIG. 23 is a partial end elevational view similar to FIG. 21 but showing a different angular adjustment.

FIG. 24 is an end elevational view of the intermediate swivel housing bar.

FIG. 25 is a partial side elevational view of the bar of FIG. 24. a

FIG. 26 is an end elevational view of the swivel retainer.

FIG. 27 is a partial side elevational view of the swivel retainer.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings wherein are shown illustrative embodiments of the preset invention, FIG. 1 discloses a storage and- /or shipping rack 10 for retaining and storing a plurality of articles 11, such as sheet metal automobile parts, with the rack including a top frame formed of longitudinal members 12 and lateral members 13, a bottom frame formed of longitudinal members 14 and lateral members 15, and four vertical corner menbers 16 connecting the top and bottom frames together.

The bottom frame is provided with feet 17 at the four corners to raise the rack 10 off of the supporting surface, and horizontal end bars 18 are suitably secured to the corner members 16 at any desired height to cooperate with elongated restraining bars 19. The vertical corner members 16 may have a series of spaced openings 21 therein to receive securing means to adjistably mount the end bars thereon. Each end bar 18, as seen in FIGS. 2-5 are of a general C-shape in vertical cross section with a solid rear wall 22 and top and bottom walls 23 terminating in inturned upper and lower flanges 24 and 25, respectively. The flanges are formed with horizontally spaced pairs of vertically aligned upper andlower notches 26 and 27 formed in the flanges 24 and 25, respectively.

The elongated restraining bar 19 is preferably formed of extruded aluminum or other lightweight and strong material and, as seen in FIG. 4, is formed in a generally tubular shape having an outer wall 28, top and bottom walls 29 and 30, and an inner wall 31 provided with a central longitudinal slot 32 therein. A transverse web 33 connects the outer wall 28 with a U-shaped channel 34, and the channel cooperates with the edges 35,35 of the inner wall 31 to form a generally T-shaped slot 36. The end of the web 33 is cut away at 37 (FIGS. 2 and 3) adjacent the ends 38 of the bar to allow for a latching means 39 to be mounted therein.

A pivot pin 41 (FIG. extends through aligned openings in the walls 28 and 31 and is secured in the bar 19 by any suitable means. The locking means, as more clearly seen in FIG. 6, includes a swinging latch 42 having a hub 43 with an opening 44 receiving the pivot pin 41, a forwardly projecting latching flange 45 having a lower lateral latch hook 46 and an upper spaced lateral restraining arm 47 with a downwardly curved edge 48. Extending generally upward from the hub is a handle 49 extending through an elongated opening 51 (FIG. 5) formed in the top wall 29. A coil spring 52 has the coils 53 thereof encompassing the hub 43, a rearward arm 54 engaging the edge of the web 33, and a forward arm 55 terminating in an inverted U-shaped portion 56 engaging and generally encompassing the rear surface of the handle 49 (FIGS. 4 and 5).

In use, the shipping rack is loaded with the articles 11 for storage or shipment and the restraining bars 19 are prepared by adding a rubber, plastic or other suitable dunnage material (not shown) having a generally T-shaped flange or edge to be inserted in the slot 36 in the inner wall 31 of the bar. The latch 39 shown in FIGS. 2-6 is a left-hand latch, and a right-hand latch 39 and spring 52, which are the mirror images of those shown in FIG. 6, are located in the opposite end of the restraining bar 19. The bar 19 is positioned in the rack 10 by latching it to the end bars 18,18 so that the dun nage material engages and cushions the articles 11.

To latch the bar 19, the handle 49 is manually rotated in the direction of the arrows A in FIG. 3 to rotate the latch against the force of the spring 52 by urging the spring arm rearwardly. The bar is then moved along the end bar 18 to insert the latch hook 46 in the slot 22 (FIG. 3) of the bar 18 until the dunnage material engages the articles 11. Then the handle 49 is released and the spring 52 urges the latch to rotate in a counterclockwise direction so that the latch hook 46 enters and engages a lower notch 27 while the lateral restraining arm 47 simultaneously enters the vertically aligned upper notch 26 (FIG. 2). The bar 19 is now restrained against both longitudinal and lateral movement. To re- 2 move this bar, the latch is rotated clockwise to the position of FIG. 3 to unlatch the bar 19 from the end bar 18.

FIGS. 7-10 disclose an alternate embodiment of swing latch 57 utilized with the identical restraining bar 19 for the shipping rack 10 having end bars 18. The latch is generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 2-6 having a hub 58 with an opening 59 to receive the pivot pin 41, a forwardly projecting latching flange 61 with a lower latch hook 62 and an upper lateral arm 63 with a downturned front edge 64, and an upwardly extending handle 65 offset at 66 and provided with a rearward projection forming a shoulder 67 below the offset (FIG. 10).

A coil spring 68 has the coils 69 encompassing the hub 58, a rear arm 71 adapted to engage the end of the web 33 and a forward arm 72 having a lateral offset 73 engaging the shoulder 67. The arm 72 extends upward from the offset 73 through the slot 51 (FIGS. 7 and 9) in the bar top wall 29 and has a bend 74 merging into a slightly downwardly inclined portion 75 terminating in a downwardly and rearwardly extending bend 76 adapted to engage the rear edge 77 of the slot 51. This latch 57 operates in the same manner as previously described for the latch 42 except that upon clockwise rotation of the handle 65, the inclined spring portion 75 will bow upwardly to yieldably resist the handle rotation.

FIGS. 11-15 disclose a second alternate embodiment of swinging latch 78 for the restraining bar 19 to engage an end bar 18. This latch also is generally similar to that shown in FIGS. 2-6 and includes, as shown in FIG. 14, a hub 79 with an opening 81 for the pivot pin 41, a forwardly extending flange 82 having a lower latch hook 83 and an upper lateral arm 84 with a curved front edge 85, and an upwardly extending handle 86 having an enlarged portion 87 thereon with a pair of tabs 88,88, one on each side and having inclined surfaces 89,89 (FIG. 15) to form sharp forward shoulders. The coil spring 52 is identical to that shown in FIGS. 2-6 and has the same reference numerals, including the coils 53 encompassing the hub 79, the rear arm 54 abutting the inner edge of the web 33, and the front arm 55 terminating in a U- shaped portion 56 engaging and partially encompassing the rear edge of the handle 86 and urging it to rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

A second separate flat leaf spring 91 (FIG. 14) has an inclined body portion 92 terminating in a forward downturned end 93 having a pair of parallel arms 94,94 at right angles thereto; each arm having an opening 95 to receive a tab 88 when the end 93 and arms 94,94 partially encompass the enlarged portion 87 of the handle 86. The body portion 92 has a rear downturned part 96 forming a shoulder with the rear end 97 to engage the rear edge 77 of the slot 51 in the bar 19 (FIG. 13). The springs 52 and 91 react upon rotation of the handle 86 in a clockwise direction in substantially the same amnner as the spring 68 of FIGS. 7-10.

FIGS. 16-20 disclose a second embodiment of restraining bar 98 and latch assembly therefor. This bar is also preferably formed of extruded aluminum and has an outer wall 99, a top wall or edge 101, a bottom wall or edge 102, and an inner wall 103 with a central slot defined by the spaced edges 104,104. A pair of spaced webs 105,105 extend between the outer wall 99 and the inner wall 103 to define, with the edges 104,104, a T-shaped slot 106. A pair of spaced guide flanges 107,107 are formed in each hollow tube 108 deflned'by the walls and the webs for a latch structure which cooperates with the end bar 18 having the upper and lower vertically aligned notches 26 and 27, respectively, at spaced intervals along the length of the bar.

The latch structure includes a lower stationary latch member 109 having a body portion 111 received in the guide space between the flanges 107,107 and the lower web 105. The body portion is secured by suitable fastening means, such as spring pins 112 extending through openings in the bar 98 and into suitable recessee 113 in the body portion 111. The body portion terminates in an enlarged head 114 which, as seen in FIGS. 18 and 19, has a depending lip 115 formed from diverging end surfaces 116,116 extending from the upper surface 117 to the lower surface 118. The lip 115 is adapted to extend over and below the edge of the notch 27 with the lower portions of the end surfaces 116,116 being wider than the notch.

The upper end of the bar 98 is cut away at 119 to form a slot to receive the upper reciprocable latch member 121,'which has a body portion 122 with an upstanding handle 123 supported by a flange 124. The body portion 122 is provided with slots or grooves 125 to receive the guide flanges 107,107 and slides on or adjacent to the upper web 105. The central portion of the body portion 122 is hollow or slotted at 126 to receive a compression spring 127 yieldably urging the latch member toward the end bar 18. A spring pin 128 is secured in the bar 97 and extends between the walls 99 and 103 and through the hollow 126 at the rear end thereof to engage the rear end of the spring 127 and provide a reaction surface therefor.

The body portion 122 terminates at a flat tongue 129 having a laterally enlarged forward end 131 received in the upper notch 26 and of substantially the same width as the notch. The bar 98 is cut away or slotted in each wall 99 and 103 at 132 to allow for inward movement I of the enlarged end 131. Suitable dunnage material (not shown) may be secured in the T-slot 106 of the bar 98, and the bar can be assembled onto a shipping rack 10. To assemble the bar onto the end bars 18,18, the reciprocable latch member 121 is manually retracted by the handle 123 against the force of the spring 127 and the bar is moved into engagement with the articles 11 with the head 114 of the lower member 109 entering the end bar 18.

With the bar or the dunnage material carried thereby engaging the articles 11, the member 109 is dropped into a notch 27 with the lip 115 within the bar 18 and overlapping the edge of the notch. The upper latch member 121 is then released to allow the enlarged end 131 to enter the upper notch 26; the upper and lower members 121 and 109 cooperating with the notches 26 and 27 to prevent any movement of that end of the bar 98. The latch at the opposite end of the bar 98 is operated in the same manner for the opposite end bar 18 to latch the bar 98 in its operative position. To release the bar 98, the upper latch members 121 are retracted and the bar is lifted to disengage the lower latch members 109 from the end bars 18, and the bar 98 is removed.

FIGS. 21-27 disclose an adjustable load bar assembly 133 utilized in the bottom frame and/or top frame of the shipping rack 10 to support the articles 11 thereon. A pair of these assemblies 133 are shown suitably positioned in the bottom frame of the rack 10 and one assembly in the top frame of the rack. An assembly. includes a bottom load bar 134 (FIGS. 21 and 22) that is secured in the rack at its ends to the lateral members 15,15 and paralleling the longitudinal members 14. The bar includes a flat base plate 135 having an integral inverted U-shaped channel extending upward from the plate surface. The channel includes side walls 136,136 connected by a top web 137, and each side wall has a plurality of outwardly extending and slightly upwardly inclined longitudinally extending flanges 138. The flanges 138 are equally spaced apart and aligned on each side to form pairs; the base plate having inclined surfaces 139,139 aligned with the flanges 128. Laterally extending intermediate members 140,140 secured to the longitudinal members 14,14 aid in supporting the bottom load bar in the frame.

An intermediate swivel housing bar 141 (FIGS. 24 and 25) has a base 142 and downwardly extending parallel sides 143,143; each side havinga pairof inwardly extending and slightly downwardly inclined adjustment flanges 144 which cooperate with the flanges 138 tov provide increments of height adjustment of the bar 141 relative to the bottom load bar 134. Formed on the upper surface 145 of the base 142 is an integral generally semicircular swivel housing 146 extending upward on one side of the base 142. The housing includes several longitudinally extending teeth or serrations 147 formed at approximately the mid. point of the inner arcuate surface 148 of the housing. Several openings 149 (FIGS. 24 and 25) are formed in thehousing 146 adjacent the teeth 147 at spaced intervals along the length of the bar 141 for a purpose to be described.

A swivel retainer 151 (FIGS. 26 and 27) includes a longitudinal generally cylindrical member 152 formed with a flatupper longitudinal surface or base 153 having upwardly extending parallel flanges 154. Each flange terminates in a horizontal flange 155 extending both inwardly and outwardly of the flange 154 to form a longitudinal T-shaped slot 156. The lower half of the member 152 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending teeth or serrations 157 complementary to the teeth 147 on the housing 146. An arcuate slot 158 is formed in the member 152 at a position angularly disposed to vertical as seen in FIG. 26 to be aligned with each opening 149 in the housing 146.

To assemble, the intermediate swivel housing bar 141 is slid onto the bottom load bar 134 with the flanges 144,144 interleaved with a pair of adjustment flanges 138,138 on each side wall 136 to provide proper height adjustment. A slabbed bolt 159 having a T-shaped head 161 is inserted in each opening with the threaded shank of the bolt 159 extending beyond the exterior surface of the housing. The head 161 is turned to be inserted in a slot 158 and then rotated 90 to engage the interior surface of the member 152. A washer 162 and a nut 163 are assembled onto the bolt 159 to draw the swivel retainer 151 and the swivel housing bar 141 together with the teeth 148 and 157 interengaging. The plurality of teeth 147 and 157 allow for a multiplicity of angular adjustments of the retainer 151 relative to the housing bar 141 from a vertical position (FIGS. 21 and 22) to a horizontal position (FIG. 23). The bolt 159 and nut 163 will clamp the retainer 151 in any of the angular positions relative to the housing bar 141.

Once the housing bar 141 is assembled at the proper height, either low (FIG. 21), high (FIG. 22) or an intermediate position (not shown) relative to the bottom load bar 134 and the swivel retainer 151 is angularly adjusted relative to the housing bar 141, suitable dunnage inserts 164 to cushion and separate the articles 1 l are inserted in the T-slot 156 of each swivel retainer 151 and the articles 11 are loaded in the rack and retained by a plurality of restraining bars 19 or 98. The rack is then ready for storage and/or shipping. Obviously, one or more load bar assemblies 133 can be used at the bottom and the top of the rack 10, and the restraining bars 19 or 98 and their latches are interchangeable. The three members of the load bar assembly 133 are all. preferably formed of extruded aluminum.

I claim:

1. In a shipping rack for storing articles and having a framework and horizontal end bars adjustably mounted intermediate the upper and lower limits of the rack, said end bars being generally C-shaped in cross section thereby defining longitudinally extending slots facing inwardly'of the rack, said end bars each having longitudinally spaced pairs of upper and lower notches formed in the respective edges thereof which define its longitudinally extending slot, a restraining bar adapted to restrain articles in the rack and being in the form of an elongated tubular member extending between end bars at respective sides of the rack, latch means mounted at each end of said restraining bar for adjustably connecting the latter to said end bars, each latch means including first and second latch elements for respective interengagement with a selected pair of upper and lower notches in one-of said end bars, at least one of said latch elements being movable relative to the restraining bar for entry into and exit from the associated notch in the end bar, spring means urging said one latch element in a direction for entry into said associated notch and manually operated means for moving said one latch element in an opposite direction for exit from said associated notch.

2. The'shipping rack according to claim 1 wherein said restraining bar includes a longitudinally extending, inwardly facing slot for receiving dunnage inserts.

3. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 1, in which said latch means includes a swinging latch member having a hub, an upwardy extending handle and a forward flange, the latter constituting said one latch element, said restraining bar having an elongated slot in the upper edge receiving said handle for limited swinging movement, and a lower downturned latch hook on said latch member and constituting the other of said latch elements.

4. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 3, including a pivot pin received in the hub and secured in the restraining bar, and a coil spring encompassing said hub and having a rear arm abutting the restraining bar and a front arm abutting the handle to bias the latch means to its latched position.

5. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 4, in which said forward spring arm terminates in an inverted U- shaped end generally encompassing the handle.

6. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 4, in which the handle includes a rearward projection forming a shoulder thereon, and the forward arm of the spring has a lateral offset engaging said shoulder and then extends upwardly out of the slot and is bent rearwardly and downwardly and terminates in a downward bend forming a shoulder engaging the rear edge of the slot.

7. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 5, in which said handle includes an enlarged portion intermediate the ends thereof with a tab on the two opposite sides thereof, a separate flat leaf spring having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined body portion, a downturned forward end, a pair of parallel sides integral with the end and encompassing the enlarged handle portion, and a downturned rear end forming a shoulder engaging the rear edge of the slot.

8. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 7, in which each parallel side includes an opening receiving one of the tabs to secure the flat spring to the latch handle.

9. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 1, in which said latch means includes a lower stationary member defining the other of said latch elements and a spaced upper reciprocable member defining said one latch element, said lower member having an enlarged outer end with a depending lip and said upper member having an enlarged end cooperating with the notches in the end bar.

10. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 9, in which said upper reciprocable member includes an upstanding'handle, the end of the restraining bar being cut off to expose the handle, the upper member having a central elongated recess, and a coil spring received in said recess with the forward end engaging said member and the rearward end engaging a pin secured in the restraining bar to yieldably bias the upper member to its latching position.

11. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 10, in which the enlarged end on the upper member is of substantially the same width as the upper notch in the end bar, and the enlarged end on the lower member has diverging sides from a narrow top surface to a bottom surface that is wider than the width of the lower notch in the end bar, said depending lip being located within the end bar beyond the notched edge thereof.

12. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 10, including a pair of spaced parallel webs defining a central slot in the restraining bar, and a pair of opposed guide flanges spaced from each web to position the lower member and to position and guide the reciprocable movement of the upper member. 

1. In a shipping rack for storing articles and having a framework and horizontal end bars adjustably mounted intermediate the upper and lower limits of the rack, said end bars being generally C-shaped in cross section thereby defining longitudinally extending slots facing inwardly of the rack, said end bars each having longitudinally spaced pairs of upper and lower notches formed in the respective edges thereof which define its longitudinally extending slot, a restraining bar adapted to restrain articles in the racK and being in the form of an elongated tubular member extending between end bars at respective sides of the rack, latch means mounted at each end of said restraining bar for adjustably connecting the latter to said end bars, each latch means including first and second latch elements for respective interengagement with a selected pair of upper and lower notches in one of said end bars, at least one of said latch elements being movable relative to the restraining bar for entry into and exit from the associated notch in the end bar, spring means urging said one latch element in a direction for entry into said associated notch and manually operated means for moving said one latch element in an opposite direction for exit from said associated notch.
 2. The shipping rack according to claim 1 wherein said restraining bar includes a longitudinally extending, inwardly facing slot for receiving dunnage inserts.
 3. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 1, in which said latch means includes a swinging latch member having a hub, an upwardy extending handle and a forward flange, the latter constituting said one latch element, said restraining bar having an elongated slot in the upper edge receiving said handle for limited swinging movement, and a lower downturned latch hook on said latch member and constituting the other of said latch elements.
 4. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 3, including a pivot pin received in the hub and secured in the restraining bar, and a coil spring encompassing said hub and having a rear arm abutting the restraining bar and a front arm abutting the handle to bias the latch means to its latched position.
 5. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 4, in which said forward spring arm terminates in an inverted U-shaped end generally encompassing the handle.
 6. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 4, in which the handle includes a rearward projection forming a shoulder thereon, and the forward arm of the spring has a lateral offset engaging said shoulder and then extends upwardly out of the slot and is bent rearwardly and downwardly and terminates in a downward bend forming a shoulder engaging the rear edge of the slot.
 7. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 5, in which said handle includes an enlarged portion intermediate the ends thereof with a tab on the two opposite sides thereof, a separate flat leaf spring having a rearwardly and downwardly inclined body portion, a downturned forward end, a pair of parallel sides integral with the end and encompassing the enlarged handle portion, and a downturned rear end forming a shoulder engaging the rear edge of the slot.
 8. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 7, in which each parallel side includes an opening receiving one of the tabs to secure the flat spring to the latch handle.
 9. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 1, in which said latch means includes a lower stationary member defining the other of said latch elements and a spaced upper reciprocable member defining said one latch element, said lower member having an enlarged outer end with a depending lip and said upper member having an enlarged end cooperating with the notches in the end bar.
 10. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 9, in which said upper reciprocable member includes an upstanding handle, the end of the restraining bar being cut off to expose the handle, the upper member having a central elongated recess, and a coil spring received in said recess with the forward end engaging said member and the rearward end engaging a pin secured in the restraining bar to yieldably bias the upper member to its latching position.
 11. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 10, in which the enlarged end on the upper member is of substantially the same width as the upper notch in the end bar, and the enlarged end on the lower member has diverging sides from a narrow top surface to a bottom surface that is wider than the width of the lower notch in the end bar, said depending lip being located within the enD bar beyond the notched edge thereof.
 12. In a shipping rack as set forth in claim 10, including a pair of spaced parallel webs defining a central slot in the restraining bar, and a pair of opposed guide flanges spaced from each web to position the lower member and to position and guide the reciprocable movement of the upper member. 